Why is chocolate tied so intimately with Valentine’s day? Why not cabbage or coconut? Or honey or maple syrup, if we are talking sweet? So you may as well skip the chocolate since it’s nothing but a marketing gimmick. Right? Nah! I’m just kidding! 😀 That’s just pure heresy.

However, this Blood Orange Crepe Suzette recipe is going to show you that you don’t really need chocolate to make Valentine’s day or any date night-worthy, simple yet spectacular dessert, that’s sure to impress your loved ones! This classic French dessert is well known for its rich buttery citrusy decadence as well the theatrics of flambéing it. Soft, delicate, tender crepes soaked in a sweet, buttery, citrusy syrup, and then doused in some Grand Marnier and flambéd for that deliciously perfect experience.

This blood orange crepe suzette came to be because of my obsession with blood oranges these days (as evidenced on my FB page here!). Not only do they look so vivid and stunning, but with that tropical, floral fragrance, they are just calling out to be used in scrumptious ways. So this blood orange crepe suzette was a no-brainer.

Crepes are a favorite in our household. Mr K can’t get enough of them, and so far this year about 90% of our weekend brunches have featured crepes in one form or another (like the Persian crepes with saffron syrup shown here). Crepes are so easy to make, but now they are even easier thanks to my Vitamix! All I’ve got to do is add all the ingredients into the blender (and you can double or triple the batch if you like), and the blender will mix all the ingredients in less than 2 minutes. I don’t have to whisk them by hand anymore, or worry about lumps either.

I made some classic French crepes (which taste amazing on their own), and made this delicious blood orange crepe suzette for two, perfect for any special occasion for you and your partner. OR you can simply double or triple the batch for a whole family. I did take a couple of liberties with the classic recipe. While I do love me some Grand Marnier, I didn’t have any at home, but I did have some Cognac. So I used that instead, with some blood orange zest mixed in).

So imagine pillowy soft crepes, coated in a blood orange infused rich, buttery sauce, served with extra blood orange and raspberries? That’s my idea of Valentine’s day celebrations this year! 🙂 The part where you have to dip each crepe in the buttery syrup and then fold it into quarters felt like too much work to me – so to make it easier, I simply started with already folded-in-half crepes, then dipped both sides in the warm orange sauce and then folded one more time. That’s just skipping one step, but saves quite a bit of hassle. I did this with half the number of crepes in this recipe (so as not to overcrowd the pan), and this was enough for a dessert for 2 (3 crepes each). If you feel like seconds, the second batch can also be made in a pinch (in 10 minutes, really). Alternatively, you can keep the first batch in the oven while the second batch is cooking – in case you are serving more than 2 people at a time and want to serve everything warm.

Instructions

Process the mix for about 30 seconds on medium high speed (8 on a Vitamix) to combine. Stop the blender to scrape down the sides if necessary, and process the mix again for a further 40 - 60 seconds, until well combined and thoroughly mixed.

Turn off the blender and let the mix rest for 15 minutes (covered).

You can make this mix in a bowl, by whisking all the wet ingredients together until well mixed, and then gradually add the wet ingredients into the flour, while whisking, until you have a smooth runny batter. Let this mix rest for about 15 minutes before use as well.

To cook the crepes, heat an 8 inch non-stick pan over medium heat. When the pan is hot, coat the bottom with some neutral oil, or butter. Add about ¼ cup of the batter and swirl the pan to coat the bottom of the pan in a thin, even layer of crepe batter. When the edges start to brown, carefully flip over the crepe using a spatula and cook for a further 20 seconds or so, until there are light brown spots on the bottom.

Transfer the crepe to a plate to cool down. Repeat with the remaining batter. This batter will make about 12 crepes.

Once the crepes have cooled down, fold each in half and set aside.

The crepes can be made in advance, and can be covered with plastic wrap until needed.

Blood Orange Butter

Place all the ingredients in a small bowl and mix together with a spoon until thoroughly mixed. Set aside until needed.

Blood Orange Crepe Suzettes

In a large non-stick skillet, place half of the blood orange butter, and heat over medium-high heat, until the butter has melted and the sugar in the butter has caramelized slightly.

Add ½ cup of the blood orange juice and mix to dissolve the sugar.

Let this mix simmer for about 1 minute for the juice to concentrate slightly.

Place 1 folded crepe in the juice to coat. Flip it over and coat the other side, and then fold it into a quarter. Leave the crepe in the pan, and repeat with another 3 - 5 crepes (totaling 4 - 6 crepes), fitting neatly and snugly in the pan.

Let the blood orange juice simmer and reduce, while flipping the crepes over once more during the cooking process.

Once the juice has reduced, add ½ of the cognac/grand marnier, and heat for a few seconds and flambe the mix carefully. Once the flames have died down, serve with a few more blood orange segments and whipped cream.

Repeat with the rest of the crepes, for seconds. Enjoy!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

Although I am a big sucker for anything chocolate and I am delighted that Social Media is exploding with chocolate desserts for Valentines Day, I wont mind eating a couple of these crepes!! Those blood oranges make everything look soo good 🙂

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About The Flavor Bender

Hi! I'm Dini, a third culture kid by upbringing and a food-geek by nature. I was born in Sri Lanka, grew up in New Zealand and lived in Australia, and then the US, before moving to Canada in 2019! My food is a reflection of those amazing experiences! Read More…